Threat and Risk Assessment Policy

Final Approval Body: Senior Leadership Team
Senior Administrative Position with Responsibility for Policy: Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) and Vice Principal (Finance and Administration)
Date Initially Approved: 2017
Date of Last Revision, if applicable: 2025

Purpose of Policy

This Policy supports Queen’s University’s commitment to fostering a safe, respectful, and positive environment for learning, working, and living. It establishes a Threat and Risk Assessment process and designates a Threat and Risk Assessment Team (TAT) to, where possible, proactively identify, assess, and manage situations that may pose Threats and Risks of physical harm or violence to members of the University Community.

Through this Policy, Queen’s University aims to:

Support students and employees: Enhance safety and well-being, provide timely and supportive interventions, and identify and facilitate reasonable accommodations and resources to individuals at Risk, acknowledging equity-deserving groups may need additional or different supports to ensure their safety and well-being.
Promote early intervention: Leverage recognized Threat and Risk Assessment practices to proactively identify and address Threats before they escalate, reinforcing the University’s commitment to proactive care.
Provide structure: Identify and mitigate potential Threats and Risks to the University Community through a structured and evidence-based approach.
Ensure a coordinated response: Establish clear processes and collaborative efforts among internal stakeholders to manage Threats and Risks effectively while striving to maintain a safe and positive environment for learning, working, and living.

This Policy and the Threat and Risk Assessment Procedure complement the Workplace Violence Policy and Procedure (WVP) and the Students at Risk Policy and Procedure (SAR), forming an integrated framework for addressing Threats and Risks and promoting safety for individuals and the University Community. This Policy establishes the TAT which leads the Threat and Risk Assessment Procedure and plays a role in both the WVP Procedure and the SAR Procedure. Matters may be referred from one process to another based on the specific circumstances.

The Policy acknowledges the complexity and nuance of each situation, and the need to respond in a coordinated, balanced, and people-centered way, particularly in spaces where University Community members live, learn, and work together. It also acknowledges the critical role of law enforcement in responding to immediate Threats and Risks and prioritizes coordination with appropriate external authorities when necessary.

By adopting this Policy, Queen’s University underscores its dedication to creating a secure, supportive, and inclusive campus for all members of its community.

This Policy recognizes the vulnerability of certain communities to harm and experiences of violence, specifically addressing the intersectionality of race, gender, religion, class, and ability. Application of the Policy must be mindful of additional factors, including mental health, and acknowledge that individuals from equity-deserving communities are more likely to face disproportionate impacts related to their experiences of violence, etc. and barriers to support.

Definitions

Employee (Worker), as defined by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), means any of the following:

A person who performs work or supplies services for monetary compensation. This includes Students who have an employment relationship with the University (e.g. casual employee, residence Don, work study student, graduate student employed as a teaching assistant, teaching fellow or research assistant, etc.) and who are acting in their employment capacity.
A secondary school student who performs work or supplies services for no monetary compensation under a work experience program authorized by the school board that operates the school in which the student is enrolled (e.g. a high school student on ��Ҵ�ý Property undertaking an unpaid placement, internship, service-learning, or co-op).
A person who performs work or supplies services for no monetary compensation under a program approved by a college of applied arts and technology, university, or other post-secondary institution (e.g. a student undertaking an unpaid placement, internship, co-op, etc. in a workplace).

Student: any person who is registered in a course or program of study, including in a non-degree diploma or certificate course or program (whether for credit or not), offered by the University, anyone registered at Queen’s on a letter of permission, and individuals on a student exchange at Queen’s.

Risk: the likelihood a Threat will materialize and the potential severity of the physical harm to self or others that could result from the Threat.

Threat: communication or behaviour indicating that an individual potentially poses a danger to the physical safety of one or more members of the University Community. A Threat may be exhibited through behaviour, through verbal communication directly or indirectly, or through written correspondence including online.

Threat and Risk Assessment: a set of evidence-based (or standardized) operational activities, that uses a fact-finding process to identify, assess, and manage Threats or Risk to a member of the University Community. The primary focus is to identify potential Threats, assess their associated Risk, and develop mitigation plans.

Threat and Risk Assessment Team (TAT): the inter-disciplinary body to which situations where there is a perceptible or actual Threat of violence or harm, are referred for Threat and Risk Assessment and the development of an appropriate mitigation plan.

University Community: includes, without limitation, employees, students, volunteers, visiting professors, contractors, visitors, student groups, and other individuals who live, work, or study at the University, or who carry out services for the University, both in-person and online.

University Property: means property owned, rented, or otherwise used by the University.

Policy Statement

Queen’s University has the right, the responsibility, and in some cases a legislative duty to respond to Threats. In some circumstances, the University may be required to rapidly and effectively identify, assess, and coordinate responses to situations. This Policy and related Procedure will guide the University response.

Where a Threat is identified, the TAT is empowered to take immediate action to contain and mitigate the Threats and Risks to the University Community through the implementation of measures on any member(s) of the University Community, pending the Threat and Risk Assessment Procedure. While these measures may be needed to ensure a safe living, learning, or working environment, equal consideration will be given to the supports individuals at risk may need through the Procedure.

TAT action(s) may include, but is/are not limited to:

ongoing observation and assessment of behaviour
referral to support services, i.e. counselling
referral for assessment by a medical or risk assessment professional
non-association/no contact directives
partial or campus-wide notice of prohibition
conditions or restrictions on activities
recommend safety planning for individual(s) who may be the target of a Threat, including notification and protective measures; and
notify law enforcement, when appropriate

Scope of Policy

This Policy applies to all members of the University Community. This Policy applies to Threats on or off University Property, including in online environments when the Threat affects, or the University has reasonable grounds to believe it may affect the participation by a member of the University Community in the University’s living, learning, or working environments.

This Policy and its Procedure do not override or diminish the rights provided to Employees under collective agreements. Where there is a conflict between this Policy or its Procedure and a collective agreement, the terms of the collective agreement shall govern. Where an employee is involved in a TAT proceeding, consultation with Human Resources or Faculty Relations will occur. This Policy is intended to work in conjunction with other university policies as outlined in the Related Policies, Procedures, Guidelines below.

Responsibilities

Assessment and Care Team (ACT): the body to which situations involving Students at Risk, but who are not deemed to pose an immediate Threat, are referred to determine an appropriate course of action. In certain circumstances, student behaviour of concern may be directed to the TAT Policy before being referred to the SAR Policy. 

Campus Security and Emergency Services (CSES): shall triage reports under this Policy to coordinate a response to address the immediate safety and security needs of the University Community. CSES Managers will regularly review reports and where appropriate refer individuals to the TAT to facilitate timely review and assessment. CSES will take whatever immediate action is necessary to secure the safety of persons and shall alert the TAT Co-Chairs regarding the report.

Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S): has the primary responsibility for overseeing compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, including requirements related to workplace violence. In conjunction with appropriate campus partners, EH&S is responsible for providing employees with appropriate information and instruction with respect to workplace violence, including notifying them of this Policy and its related Procedure. The Executive Director, Risk and Safety Services co-chairs the TAT.

Division of Student Affairs: oversees the primary services and supports under the SAR Policy and leads the coordination of all student-related supports, mitigations, and responses to Threats and Risks. In conjunction with appropriate campus partners, it is responsible for providing information about available supports for students and for overseeing the ACT. The Vice Provost and Dean of Student Affairs or their designate co-chairs the TAT.

Faculty Relations and Human Resources: in collaboration with EHS, assist in providing employees with appropriate information related to workplace violence including notifying them of this Policy and its related Procedure.

Threat and Risk Assessment Team Co-Chairs: convene meetings, manage internal communication, maintain records, and follow-up on decisions of the TAT as required.  The Co-Chairs are also responsible for ensuring all TAT members are aware of and respect confidentiality and privacy legislation, including with respect to information sharing and document handling.  In matters requiring urgency, the Co-Chairs of the TAT shall have full authority to take interim action pending review and decision-making by the TAT.

University Community Members: are expected to be aware of this Policy and participate in any investigation or inquiry under it. Students and Employees are expected to report Threats or Risks they become aware of in accordance with the Procedure established under this Policy.

Related Policies, Procedures, Guidelines

The associated Procedure for this Policy is the Threat and Risk Assessment Procedure.

The University has a range of policies and procedures that can be utilized to manage and mitigate Threats and Risks.

For situations involving Employees, please refer to the Workplace Violence Policy and Procedure.

For situations involving Students, please refer to the Student at Risk Policy and Procedure, as well as Care Support Services.

For situations involving non-academic misconduct by a student or group of students, please refer to the Student Code of Conduct.

For situations involving harassment, discrimination, and reprisal, please refer to Harassment and Discrimination Prevention and Response Policy, and the Reporting Procedure as well as the Complaint Intake and Investigation Procedure. (Note: The H&D Policy does not apply to instances of sexual harassment involving students. These situations fall under the Policy on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence Involving Students.)

For situations of sexual misconduct and sexual violence involving students, please refer to the Policy on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence Involving Students. �į�į�į�į&�Բ��;

Policies Superseded by this Policy: Threat Assessment Protocol 2017

Responsible Officer: Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic), Vice-Principal (Finance and Administration)
Contact Officer: Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs, Executive Director of Risk and Safety Services
Date for Next Review: 2030

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